From the Archives - Les Compagnons

  

I never tire of reprinting print ephemera from the collection of Pillpat (agence eureka).  Next to the Library of Congress, no other flickr stream issues forth so many amazing, hard to source images of French clothing catalogs, playing cards, maps, children's books, educational texts and party games from the early to mid twentieth century.  Here's a terrific, scouting themed coloring book, Les Compagnons, that defies the user to reproduce or improve upon what has already been illustrated.  While the coloring book lacks explanatory text, its presentation of well appointed campers and hyper stylized camp sites reminds me of Tom's beloved Little Golden Book of Camping and Camp Craft (1959).  I'm including a few blank page in case Archival readers wish to draw up their own aspirational scenes from camp.   Scan and send me the results. I'll repost in a future blog.

 

 

 

  

Archival Camp

I'm heading off to my childhood summer camp for a much needed, late August media disconnect. In lieu of a twitter feed I'm posting these photos of my future self enjoying camp activities.

Shopping From the Past: Carl Denig

Pim, a friend of Archival Clothing in Germany, recently emailed us a link to a recent upload of a Carl Denig catalog from 1939. Founded in 1912, Carl Denig is the most important outdoor retailer in the Netherlands. Its current offerings are typical REI fare, but have a peep at this catalog. It's got us longing for hiker's wall tents, kletter schoen (the first climbing shoes), and sleek alloy teakettles. Sorry for the long post, but this stuff is too good! Many thanks to Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse for the amazing upload.

Shoes on bottom were some of first rock climbing specific footwear.

Those top boots are really something!

Sailing canoes

Nice rumpley bag family.

Aspirational modularity

I desperately want one of those Mikwa Keteltje.

(Note that stripey fabric above? See also)

Shopping from the past: Kletterwerks

I've been a rabid Dana Designs fan since I started climbing in the early 1990s. I have a late 1980s Bomb Pack for which I traded a beloved Lowe Contour Mtn. 40 (another all-time favorite pack), and I also have a Hoodoo Spire which has seen serious use as a day hiker.

I was lucky enough to pick up a nearly mint condition Kletterwerks pack at a recent estate sale. It's the clear precursor to my Dana Bomb pack - a tall and narrow toploader, with a trim profile and excellent load cinching abilities.

Also, it was designed by the same person - Dana Gleason founded Kletterwerks in 1975, Dana Designs in 1985, and is now at the helm of Mystery Ranch.

I'm excited to use the Kletterwerks pack. It's super lightweight, being completely frameless in the vein of a Jensen/Rivendell. I'll be sliding a piece of closed-cell foam in the back panel pocket and hitting the trail this weekend. Since you might not be able to come along, here are a few more Kletterwerks packs I've skimmed off of the internet.

Archival Shelter: Wall Tents

by Tom Bonamici


As mentioned in a prior post, Archival Clothing friend (and first-generation AC Rucksack owner) Will D. lived in a wall tent for a year. After he visited me in Brooklyn, we've been chatting about traditional bedrolls and other projects to kit him out for his upcoming Trackers NW courses.


Though I doubt I'd be able to install a wall tent anywhere in Brooklyn (unless someone has a secure backyard to offer...), that hasn't stopped me from doing some hypothetical shopping. I've been impressed by the Davis Tent and Awning products - I've got to support anyone posting a strength test of their fabric using a leather worker's clamping horse and a fish scale.

Shots from the Davis Tent Photo Gallery:







Do Not Miss this video showing the seventeen-foot long Cowboy Bedroll.